Stuck In A Moment
by Star24
Summary: A Dark Angel Reflections fanfic challenge. Max and Logan are stuck in a closet...


A/N A short little piece written in response to a fiction challenge on Dark Angel Reflections.  Challenge requirements:

_Max and Logan are stuck in a closet_

_They are angry at each other _

_Max has a virus cure, which is counting down to being effective, but Logan doesn't know about it _

_Clothes must be shed_

_They must spend the night in the closet _

_They must make up before the end _

_Rating must be R  _

_Have fun – I did writing it_!

* * * * *

"How long do you think we're going to have to stay in here?" Max glared at Logan, forgetting that he didn't have her night vision and wouldn't be able to pick up the nuances of her expression. When he didn't respond to her question she tried again. "Logan?"

"Oh." Logan looked up from his laptop his face dimly lit by its glow. "Well, according to this there's a full contingent of heavily armed troops out there until about 6 AM tomorrow morning.  I don't think we want to risk going out through them. If we wait, the place will be deserted and we can just walk out"

"Logan you do realize that it's only 10:00 PM?  You're talking about us sitting here in this closet with no light, no ventilation, and no water, for another eight hours. Why don't I just go out there and kick some butt and we go home now? You've got what you needed." Max couldn't imagine sitting in the cramped closet for hours, so close to Logan yet unable to risk touching him.

 This whole mission had gone sideways from the moment she had realized Logan was planning on coming with her. She had argued strongly with him about it but he had pointed out that his intel was sketchy and that he was going to have to hack into one of a dozen computers to get the information he needed.  The kicker was that he wouldn't know which computer he needed until he got there and tried them out. They couldn't wait for better information since the installation was being dismantled and all of the equipment would be gone the next day.  

Max had reluctantly agreed but nothing had gone right, starting with a flat tire halfway there which had blown their timetable to hell. Instead of arriving at the beginning of the dinner break when the guards would be on reduced shifts, they had arrived halfway through it. Of course it had been the tenth computer that was the one Logan needed, which had consumed more precious time checking out the first nine. Logan had at least succeeded in downloading the files he needed to his laptop, but by the time he finished the guards had been back in full force. In fact they had come close to catching the two of them.  The final straw had been the discovery that their escape route was non-existent. What had been indicated on Logan's plans as an exit door had instead been the door to a 6 x 6 utility closet.  When they discovered the mistake there was no going back. So here the two of them sat, in the small hot space, with no choice but to wait it out.  

"Max if we go out there we alert them to the fact that someone was in this area and possibly accessed their database. The first thing they do is change all of their security codes and this whole thing turns into a useless exercise."  Logan turned his laptop so the blue glow from the screen reflected on Max and he could see her face as he spoke to her.

"Useless is right." She muttered crossly, trying to stretch without touching him, no easy task in the small space they were in. To top it off it was starting to get very warm from their body heat. Max was dressed in her one-piece cat suit for the occasion, which meant she had no layers to shed to get more comfortable. She noticed that Logan had already taken off his black sweater and was sitting there in his black pants and a wife beater tee. It was evident from his arms that he had been doing some serious working out. //_Don't go there, Max_// she mentally berated herself, snapping back to attention at his response to her muttering.

"If someone hadn't decided to try to grab some money from the office safe we might have had more time to get out." Logan said pointedly, annoyed at Max's attitude.

"So, I was supposed to sit and twiddle my thumbs while you played computer games? You didn't tell me it was alarmed." Max snapped back at him.

"It wasn't the mission. Why would I tell you? Even assuming I knew which I didn't." Logan turned back to his laptop dismissively, not wanting to look at Max who was starting to look flushed and a bit sweaty from the increasing heat in the small closet. The damn virus from hell was in full blast and he didn't need any reminders of what he couldn't have. Especially in such close quarters, and especially given the givens about Max and Alec. 

For a few moments each was silent, Logan concentrating on his computer and Max's mind drifting back to the meeting she had with Dr. Shankar earlier that afternoon…

_"Hold out your arm." Dr. Shankar had_ _then proceeded to plunge a needle that looked like it was made for a horse, into Max's arm. When she finished she swabbed the puncture wound with alcohol. _

_"So that's it?" Max had asked._

_"We'll know for sure in about half an hour. Want a cup of coffee while we wait?" _

_"Nah, the caffeine'll just have me climbing walls more than normal." Max declined.  She sat there silently watching the clock unable to believe that the virus might be a thing of the past. After Logan's last exposure, Dr Shankar had recognized it as a strain of virus that she had done extensive research on at one time. Intrigued she had pulled out her old notes and armed with samples of both Max's and Logan's blood had been working on it night and day. She had called Max that morning and asked her to come over as soon as possible. Five minutes after Max arrived she had plunged the needle into her arm and now it was wait and see if her idea had worked. _

_"Max." The doctor's voice was noncommittal and Max looked up prepared to hear the worst. Beverly Shankar looked at her solemnly then broke out into a he grin and pulled the younger woman into a hug. "It worked. The virus is dying in your bloodstream." Beverly had grown fond of the young woman she was now hugging, not least because she was aware of how greatly her dear friend Logan Cale loved her.  Helping the two star crossed lovers had become her personal crusade and she was thrilled that she had succeeded._

_"You're sure? I mean this bitch mutates like crazy." Beverly looked at her in surprise._

_"Who told you that? This is an extremely stable strain of virus. That's why I was able to do what I did."_

_"So I'm clear to touch Logan and I won't kill him?" Max asked wanting to be sure._

_"In about ten hours which would be approximately 1 AM the last of the virus will be gone from your bloodstream." Max grabbed her pager and set the timer for twelve hours just to be safe, and then hugged the doctor one last time._

_"Gotta blaze. Logan has some urgent mission for me. Thanks again." With that she was gone, leaving Beverly to smile and shake her head. Life was certainly more interesting since she had become involved with Logan and his mysterious boss, Eyes Only._

"Max?" She became aware that Logan was talking to her again.  She took a quick glance at her pager and inwardly groaned. Four hours to go for the virus and about seven before they could leave this cell.  

"What?" she snapped still annoyed with him for getting them stuck here in the first place. Not to mention that his t-shirt was sticking to his chest in a very interesting way as he began to sweat from the increasing heat She watched a bead of sweat run down his forehead and she wanted nothing more than to reach over and wipe it off.  

"Just thought you might want to talk or something, to pass the time. But seems you're still in a mood so forget I said anything." 

"I'm in a mood? I'm not the one who led us into a closet instead of out the door. In case you haven't noticed it's damn hot in here and, unlike you, I don't have a lot of layers to shed. So yeah I guess I am in a mood."  She glared at him using her anger to distract herself from other thoughts.

"Oh right. If you hadn't wandered off and set off the alarm we could have left the same way we came in. So what's wrong? Missing a hot date with your boyfriend?" Logan returned trying not to notice the way her cat suit was clinging to every curve and her hair was curling slightly from the humidity in the room.

"Oh yeah for sure I am." Max sneered back thoroughly angry with him at this point. Her arm was aching like a bitch from the shot and she felt like she was going to pass out from the heat at any moment. "That's it," she muttered to herself and twisting around she reached back and unzipped the cat suit to the waist. Ignoring Logan she pulled it down off of her shoulders and slid her arms out leaving it hanging around her waist. Underneath she had on a thin silk tank, which clung to every curve being that it was soaked with her sweat. 

Logan gulped at the sight not two feet away from him. Max's nipples were clearly visible through the thin tank and her bare arms gleamed with a light sheen of sweat. Hot as it had seemed a minute ago the temperature felt like it had instantly climbed 10 –15 degrees.

"Uh Max…" he began only to be stopped by a look.  

"I am not going to pass out from heat exhaustion, Logan. Deal with it."  Logan tried for the next 10 or 15 minutes but he grew more and more uncomfortable as the temperature continued to rise.

"I think they shut down the building ventilation." Max observed casually. " I haven't heard the compressors going for a while now."

"Probably trying to save money – why use the AC when all you're doing is carrying stuff out through open doors." Logan grumbled feeling like he was about to pass out, as it grew even hotter. 

"Next time try getting better information and we won't get stuck in a situation like this." Max suggested meanly, grouchy from the heat and Logan's close proximity. Even though it would be safe to touch in another hour or two she was wondering how to break the news to Logan. Especially since he still thought she was with Alec. In the mood he was in, he wasn't going to be too happy with her telling him she had lied about that. 

"Next time don't pull any cat burglary." Logan snapped back. Thoroughly annoyed with Max, and with his short soaked and uncomfortable he decided the hell with it. It was her turn to deal. He reached down and grasped the hem of his t-shirt and pulled it up over his head. Max's mouth dropped open at the sight of his well-muscled chest lightly covered with fine blond hairs and gleaming golden in the soft light from his laptop display. He had definitely been working out since the last time she had seen him without his shirt and she approved of the results. Unconsciously she licked her lips as her gaze swept down following the line of hair that narrowed to a V as it dipped beneath the waistband of his pants.

"Enjoying the view?" Logan needled. Max's gaze snapped up to his face and the smirk he was giving her.

"Oh shut up," she responded annoyed at herself for letting him catch her looking him over. She reached down and pulled off her boots and socks wiggling her feet in relief as the air hit them, She was still uncomfortably hot in the bottom half of the cat suit but she was damned if she was giving Logan any more of a show. Not with the attitude he was pulling on her. With a muttered "hmmpf" she turned her back to him and curled up to try to sleep.  Logan watched her for a minute and decided he might as well try to sleep himself. He rolled his discarded shirt up inside his sweater and using it as a makeshift pillow, turned his back to Max preparatory to resting. 

Max suddenly sat up alerted by some sound outside.  She listened for a moment then decided it was simply the sounds of heavy equipment being moved which meant that it still wasn't safe to leave their hiding place.  She realized that she was extremely uncomfortable in the heavy leggings of her cat suit and glanced at Logan who seemed to be fast asleep. Squirming a bit more she finally decided that she couldn't take it and quickly reached down and slipped off the suit. Sighing in relief she relaxed back down clad only in her thin tank and bikini bottoms.  Figuring that Logan would sleep a while yet she decided to try to catnap just a bit more to pass the time.  Sneaking a quick glance at her pager she realized there was only another 20 minutes left and was struck with another attack of nerves.  Somehow she had to tell Logan about the cure, but she would prefer it be under better circumstances than this. Besides, she rationalized; he was acting like a complete jerk so why should she tell him anything until he lost his attitude? 

Logan stirred restlessly and then sat up. Ever since the transfusion he had been gaining feeling in his legs and now they were uncomfortably sweaty under his heavy pants, with the added burden of the exo adding to his discomfort. He needed to take it off for a while or he was going to have some serious abrasions where it was chafing his skin.  If Max didn't like it tough, he decided. Still with his back to her, he reached down and managed to slide out of his pants. That done he made quick work of the exo sighing in relief as he released the straps. Out of recent habit he concentrated on his legs and was pleased when he was able to stretch them out. At this rate he would soon be walking. Clad only in his boxer briefs he felt much more comfortable in the stuffy closet and settled down to rest until they could leave. 

Max tossed restlessly unable to get comfortable. An arm came around her and pulled her to rest on a hard masculine chest. Sighing contentedly she laid her hand on a flat stomach and drifted off happily. 

As she dozed she dreamt she felt soft lips in her hair and clever fingers stroking up and down her back.  She purred deep in her throat and pressed herself closer to the masculine body she was curled against. A hand reached under her chin and lifted her face and soft lips were on hers. They urged her to open and soon she was lost in sensation as his tongue began to explore her mouth.  She began to move her hands restlessly over hard muscles.  Smiling she enjoyed her dream…until she opened her eyes and realized she was staring into the crystal blue eyes of …Logan.

Logan drifted off to sleep and was quickly lost in a dream of a soft female body lying in his arms, hand resting on his stomach. In his dream he kissed her hair and then began to gently stroke her back. She curled closer and he lifted her chin so he could find her lips with his. Sighing she opened for his tongue and as he tasted her sweet mouth her hands began to stroke his chest and arms.  As her hands drifted lower he opened his eyes only to find himself staring into Max's dark brown eyes.

"Oh shit." He exclaimed trying to pull back and waiting for the weakness and dizziness of the virus to hit him like a ton of bricks. 

"It's okay, Logan." Max smiled up at him reassuringly. "It's gone." Logan looked at her trying to process her words.  He felt fine. Other than the damn heat that was. And other than another slight issue that had come up from Max's proximity.  Then it hit him. They could touch. And a barely dressed Max was lying in his arms not making any moves to escape. His body was way ahead of his brain and even as he processed the information he was pulling her back to him. With almost a growl he lowered his kips to hers once more, this time kissing her fiercely, making up for the months of not being able to touch her at all. Max eagerly reciprocated, and within moments, both of them were breathing heavily as they ignited each other. 

Suddenly Logan stopped and pulled back. He looked at Max narrowly. "What about Alec?"

Max was lost in the sensation of being so close to Logan and it took her a minute to respond.

"Alec?"

"Your new boyfriend."

"Huh?" Max was still dazed from the intensity of Logan's kisses and caresses. "Oh I lied. There's no Alec, Logan," she mumbled as she greedily pulled him back down to her once again. Her hands found his butt and she pulled him close against her feeling his hardness. 

"The hell with Alec." he muttered diving back into what Max was so eagerly offering.  With that the 

two proceeded to lose their few remaining clothes and the heat in the closet went unnoticed in the greater heat generated by their bodies. 

Long after, Logan raised his head and looked around.  "I think we can probably leave," he said.

"Probably." Max lazily agreed. "Logan?" 

"Yeah?" 

"Can you make sure that you find a closet for us to hide in on all of our future missions?"

Finis


End file.
